WEST COAST NATIVE RESERVES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 279, 22 May 1912, Page 7

WEST COAST NATIVE RESERVES

COMMISSION AT NEW PLYMOUTH. The West Coast Native Reserves Commission concluded its sittings at New Plymouth yesterday morning. Dr McArthur, S.M., presided and with him was Mr Kerr S.M. Only one witness was examined. 'William L. Luscombe, a farmer residing at New Plymouth, said he was a holder of an original lease.of 220 acres, at a rental of 2s an acre. He had sub-let the lease for 34s an acre between four and five years ago. The value of imi provements on the property two years jftgo was about £6 an acre. The original lease had another two years to run. I He did not remember ever having got j a native to convert his lease, but he was aware of this provision. At that time i.e came to the conclusion that it would not pay him to convert. He was guided in this decision by old settlers in the district who advised him that there ■was no advantage in converting. Witness was unaware of the fact that compensation for improvements was limited to £5 an acre until some time after he took up his lease. Mr Kerr: Do you allege that you were any time misled by the Public' Trustee or any other officials in regard to the lease? —No.

In the course of liis cross-examination J of the witness Mr W. H. D, Bell, M.P., who is appearing on behalf of the natives, remarked: Then the only thing .you and other fanners did not understand was the fact that hush-falling and grassing were not recognised as improtnents?—Yes. Mr Bell: That is the only complaint you can make as to having been misled? —Yes. Mr Bell: And you know that that complaint has been put right by the Act of 1910, so that you now have no complaint to make whatever'/—What I wish now is for my improvements, to be protected, and also that I have the first right of renewal of the lease. Mr iBell: When did you raise your improvements to £0 an acre?— Three or four years ago. Mr Bell: And did you know in 1802 about the £5 limit?— Yes, there was more talk about the £5 limit at the' I time of converting than before, j Mr Bell: You put these improvements on, knowing that you were limited to £5 an acre. Witness replied that as he converted his section from a. cattle to a dairy farm he was bound to effect extra improvements. Besides, he knew that the more he improved his holding the better rental he would get when lie subleased it. Dr McArthur: Quite so, you have now got a profit of £325 a year. I Witness: The sore point is that I lose it at the end of my term. I ])r McArthur: You want to have your cake and ea,t it: too. * ' The Commissioner: You put these | improvements on to get a high rent, and then you object to being treated in the terms of the. lease. ~ Dr McArthur: (after further admissions by the witness) It is fortunate 'fpr the lessor that it is not for you to '.decide. ... In short, you would Hike to feel that there is still room for repentance. , This concluded the taking of evidence at New Plymouth, and the Commission accordingly -'adjourned to Hawera at 2.30 p.m. to-day. MR'. CORBETT'S EVIDENCE. To'the Editor. Kir, —Mr. Corbett's evidence, given yesterday to r.ebut mine of Saturday, would have been more, reliable had it been fortified with either Jiis books for carting or the books '.of'the. various flaxmills to which he states he delivered my, flax. The whole matter is of no public interest. Neither .can the question of what I did with the ilax or my land have any possible effect o.n the finding of the present enquiry. As Mr. Corbett followed flax-cutting and carting for many years, where he got individual loads may be and probably is a very vague quantity in his mind after this great lapse of time. But the cause of such a very considerable error, which altered the locality, of fiOO . to 700 loads, is hard to account for.— ' I am, etc., ~' JAMES J. ELWIX. !